Imagine you want to hit a golf ball to a hole that’s 200 yards away on a flat course. You can comfortably hit the ball 250 yards, so reaching the green should be no problem.
For this example, let’s assume no interference from rain or wind. If your golf club hits the ball square-on, theoretically it will travel in a straight line, rising and falling with gravity, and land on the green.
However, if your clubface meets the ball just one degree off square, your ball will land over 10 feet from the target. If the club face is three degrees off target, you miss by over 30 feet – potentially leaving you in a bunker or the water!
Now, let’s consider a much longer trip – say, we wanted to get to the moon. A one-degree error in alignment here leaves you over 4,000 miles off target and drifting off into space.
Why is this relevant to HR leaders and managers?
As HR leaders and managers, we often see teams reporting that they are all aligned on the key impacts they are tasked with delivering.
However, upon closer inspection, we find that these teams are not just one, two or three degrees out of alignment; they are often pointing in entirely different directions!
Unlike a golfer with a single clubhead or a rocket engineer with a single trajectory, leaders have the challenge of aligning six, eight or even 11 individuals into a cohesive team.
Their organisation may have hundreds or thousands of people to bring together with precise focus.
Ensuring that everyone is on the same page is crucial, because even minor misalignments can result in significant deviations from the intended goals.
The cost of misalignment
Misalignment within a team can lead to missed deadlines, overshot budgets, and unmet objectives. Just as a slight error in a golf swing or a rocket’s trajectory can lead to missing the target by a substantial margin, minor misalignments in team objectives and actions can result in considerable setbacks.
Steps to achieve alignment
1. Clear Communication
Regularly communicate the vision, goals and individual roles to ensure everyone understands, and is working towards, the same objectives.
2. Frequent Check-Ins
Hold regular meetings to check progress and address any deviations from the plan. This allows for realignment before minor issues become major problems.
3. Collaborative Planning
Where practical, involve the entire team in the planning process. This encourages buy-in and ensures that everyone is aware of the collective direction.
4. Consistent Feedback
Provide timely and constructive feedback. Recognise alignment and correct misalignment quickly to maintain the team’s focus.
5. Unified Metrics
Use clear and agreed-upon metrics to measure progress and success. This helps in keeping the team focused and aligned on the same outcomes.
Conclusion
As leaders, our job is to align our teams effectively to ensure that every effort is directed towards the shared goal.
Just like the precision required in hitting a golf ball or launching a rocket, precision in team alignment is essential for achieving desired results.
By focusing on alignment, we can ensure that our teams not only reach their targets but do so efficiently and effectively, maximising impact and minimising wasted effort.
Remember, even a small deviation can lead to missing the mark by a wide margin.
Let’s strive to keep our teams aligned and our goals within reach.
Exigence provides a full suite of evidence-based business coaching solutions, driven by a desire to help individuals and teams to achieve their performance potential. Find out more here or book a call to talk through how we can support you.
